New Jersey City University Athletics

Fran becomes the fourth outstanding Jersey City State College woman fencer to enter the Hall of Fame. A teammate of Dolores Comerio LaFiura and coached by Tom Gerrity, Fran became the second  Gothic fencer of all time to win the prestigious National Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Championship (1959), a truly major achievement. She also finished as runner-up in 1960 and third in 1961. At the National Christmas Championships, she was second in both 1958 and 1960 and third in 1961.  From 1959-1961, she was a member of the United States Olympic training squad and was a finalist in the North American Championships in 1960 and 1961. She was selected The National Woman Athlete-of the-Year by UNICO in 1959. As a coach, Fran was responsible for Ridgefield Park High School’s state championship teams in 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1978. She also coached FDU’s state championship teams in 1977 and 1979. This year she coached the girl’s high school state champion, Debbie White.